Chapter 136: Phase Two

Shajin thrust out his hand, summoning his Jade Barrier to coil around him like a spirit serpent, attempting to block the thunderous strike barreling down on him.

But in the end, he still underestimated Raiden Ei's power. The sheer force of her blow sent Shajin staggering back several steps, reeling like he'd been struck by a meteor.

Raiden Ei pressed the advantage. Her blade slashed down once more—its arc slicing through the sky like lightning.

Shajin steadied himself and launched a swift counterattack.

The two clashed like meteors colliding in midair, trading blows with dazzling speed. Blades gleamed and danced like silver serpents, while brilliant golden light flared like a midday sun. Their battle painted the sky with a breathtaking display of chaos and fury.

Thunder echoed across the heavens as sword and blade collided in a ceaseless storm of sound. The crashing of weapons was deafening—like a stampede of ten thousand warhorses thundering across the sea.

The awe-inspiring duel sent shockwaves rippling across the ocean. Waves surged violently, spray bursting into the air like a storm gone mad.

Then, several mysterious Mora coins shot toward Raiden Ei like bolts of lightning. As they hurtled forward, they expanded rapidly, swelling with destructive power—on the verge of slamming into her like falling stars.

But faced with this sudden crisis, Raiden Ei's expression remained calm as still water. She lifted Musou Isshin and flicked her wrist.

A flash of cold light.

The seemingly indestructible Mora split in two mid-air, bursting apart in a brilliant spray of sparks before disintegrating into countless fragments.

Yet before she could even catch her breath, a deafening roar shook the skies.

Everyone turned in shock—behind Raiden Ei, an enormous dragon had silently emerged.

In its gaping maw, swirling with the force of Imaginary energy, a terrifying light began to gather—growing brighter, denser, more dangerous with each passing instant.

In the blink of an eye, the energy reached its peak.

Then it fired.

A colossal beam of destructive power exploded forth, too fast to dodge, slamming into Raiden Ei and blasting her from the air into the sea below.

The impact sent a towering wave crashing across the ocean surface, rising dozens of meters high. The sea raged as if it meant to consume the world.

"Shogun!!"

Kujou Sara cried out in alarm.

"Hmph."

A cold snort echoed from the depths—Raiden Ei burst from the water like a dragon breaking through the sea.

She rose, clad in divine armor, sleek and radiant. The violet crystal plating wrapped tightly around her lithe, powerful form, gleaming with a mysterious and imposing light.

Behind her, the Chakra Desiderata solidified even further, hovering high above like a brilliant violet moon. Its radiance was so intense it hurt to look directly at it.

Her hair, once neatly braided, had unraveled in the chaos, cascading over her shoulders like a waterfall and dancing wildly in the sea breeze. Every strand shimmered with power and majesty.

Arcs of lightning sparked across her body. The roar of thunder rumbled unceasingly around her, as if reality itself might split in half.

To her left, three spectral arms shimmered into view—each wielding a different weapon: a kunai, a shuriken, and a short blade, all gleaming with deadly light.

To her right, a massive armored arm emerged, thick and imposing. In its grip was a titanic tachi, its blade shimmering with a frigid edge that looked capable of slicing through all creation.

Raiden Ei lifted Musou Isshin, the blade aimed straight at Shajin. Her eyes were filled with unshakable resolve.

"You're strong," she said. "Even among the gods of the Archon War, you'd be a formidable opponent. But…"

Before she could finish, the skies above Inazuma tore open with a massive rift. It widened slowly, then something began to emerge—an arm so vast it blotted out the heavens, gripping a tachi almost identical to Musou Isshin.

"But this is where it ends."

Raiden Ei's voice echoed across the battlefield, brimming with sovereign authority.

...

"Out of the way! All of you, MOVE!!" Kujou Takayuki bellowed, his eyes bulging with rage. His roar seemed to shake the air itself, sending tremors through the eardrums of everyone present.

"But, Patriarch—it's too dangerous up ahead!" his guards pleaded, faces pale with terror. Yet their words meant nothing to the crazed clan head, falling on deaf ears.

"Get out of my way! That's the invincible Raiden Shogun! That's the invincible Musou no Hitotachi!!" Takayuki's eyes were wide, his face red, veins bulging at his temples. Madness gripped him entirely now—only one thought burned in his mind:

He had to witness that legendary slash with his own eyes.

He shoved through the crowd, pushing aside anyone in his path with manic strength. His steps were uneven, frenzied, as if chased by demons.

People scrambled to get out of his way, fearful of being trampled by the lunatic charging toward the front.

Finally, Kujou Takayuki reached the very edge of the battlefield. He stood panting, eyes fixed on the distant figure of the Raiden Shogun, just as she prepared to strike.

Overhead, the sky darkened. Thunder cracked. Lightning danced through the clouds like the end of days.

...

Shajin rolled his shoulder as the colossal tachi came swinging down.

"Alright… I've had my fun too. And besides… you're not the only one with a second phase."

Three dice appeared in his hand, glittering with uncanny energy.

The peacock-blue Vision at his chest flared with light.

Then, he removed the mask on his face—the one marked Gambler.

In the distance, Kamisato Ayaka stood frozen in shock.

"Ayaka? What's wrong?" her brother asked, nudging her shoulder.

She snapped out of it, lips curling into a bitter smile as she pointed toward the sky.

"Brother… that person… he's my friend…"

Kamisato Ayato: ?

...

A new mask appeared over Shajin's face—black, emblazoned with a spade.

He placed his top hat back on his head.

Armored plating began to materialize over his body, shifting like a second skin.

"Raiden Ei, your so-called 'eternity' was frozen five hundred years ago."

"Mortals or gods… no one always makes the right choice. Every decision is a gamble—a game of risk."

"You either win it all… or lose everything."

"All of Teyvat is already caught in the greatest wager of all time. There are no choices left. No room to retreat."

"If the dice of fate were always weighted with lead… then perhaps this is the destination we were doomed to reach."

"So why resist it?"

"The only way forward… is to enter the game ourselves—as the chips. And win. Only win."

A pillar of golden light surged between heaven and earth.

"All shall be offered to the Amber Lord!"

_

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